Offset seesaw

ABSTRACT

An offset seesaw comprising a pair of tortuous arms such as an elongated tube or bar and either unitary or separate, each lying in a flat plane rigidly connected together at a joining segment, the arms being mutually and dependently pivotable about an axis passing through the joining segment and preferably each of the arms having a 90* offset intermediate its ends, a seat is located on each of the arms, preferably positionally adjustably on the arms, the seats lying in a plane displaced from the said axis, the seats also lying on opposite sides of a plane perpendicular to the said axis generally at the center of the joining segment.

United States Patent 1 Haroski [54] OFFSET SEESAW [76] Inventor: Anthony A. Hnroski, 134 Longellow Street, Carteret, NJ. 07.008

[22] Filed: Aug. 24, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 174,490

52 U.S.Cl. ..272/30,272/54,272/56 s1 1nt.Cl ..A63g11/00,A63g1/32 [58] FieldofSearch ..272/54,55,56,30,60,49,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 201,897 4/1878 Tyler ..272/54 357,577 2/1887 Cashin ..272/56 464,142 12/1891 Pooley ..297/258 X 1,051,796 1/1913 Zimmermann ..272/54 UX 1,262,373 4/1918 Mongillo ..272/54 2,738,831 3/1956 Sage ..272/54 3,010,719 11/1961 Johnson .....272/56 3,472,507 10/1969 Michel ..272/56 3,595,569 7/1971 Holte ..272/54 X 3,618,940 11/1971 Manocherian ..272/56 111] 3,709,436 [451 Jan. 9, 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 28,279 3/1956 Finland .272/56 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Popular Mechanics, July, 1962 page 99. Balancing Apparatus.

Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer Attorney-Popper, Bain, Bobis & Gilfillan [57] ABSTRACT An offset seesaw comprising a pair of tortuous arms such as an elongated tube or bar and either unitary or separate, each lying in a flat plane rigidly connected 15 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 91m- 3.709 486 SHEET 1 BF 2 OFFSET SEESAW BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to seesaws generally and specifically to an offset seesaw in which the persons sitting on seats attached to the seesaw are offset from each other on opposite sides of the axis of pivot about which the arms of the seesaw supporting the seats oscillate. Preferably, the riders are facing in opposite directions although offset but may be facing in other than opposite directions.

The seesaw is supported preferably on a joining segment resting on the ground or on a plate which is the functional equivalent of the ground needing no further supporting means. Optionally, the joining segment may be pivotable about a generally upstanding axis so that the arms of the seesaw not only oscillate in a vertical plane but rotate in a horizontal plane.

Seesaws of the character claimed herein may be arranged in nesting interrelationship providing a multiplicity of seesaws in a very small area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An offset seesaw comprising a pair of tortuous arms rigidly connected together at a joining segment, the arms being mutually and dependently pivotal about an axis passing through the joining segment, and seat means on each of the arms, the seat means lying in a plane displaced from the said axis, the seat means lying on opposite sides of a plane perpendicular to said axis generally at the center of the joining segment.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The objects and advantages aforesaid as well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by the offset seesaw claimed herein preferred embodiments of which are illustrated in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an offset seesaw;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the seesaw illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the seesaw illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an alternate form of offset seesaw;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the alternate form of seesaw illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the alternate form of seesaw illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a schemmatic top plan view of a plurality of seesaws arranged in a nesting configuration;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of still another altemate form of offset seesaw adapted for side-rolling or oscillatory motion;

FIG. 9 is an end elevational cross-sectional view of one form of joining segment for the arms of an offset seesaw;

FIG. 10 is an end elevational cross-sectional view of an alternate form of joining segment;

FIG. 11 is an end elevational cross-sectional view of still another alternate form of joining segment.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and specifically to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the seesaw comprises a pair of tortuous arms 11 and 12 rigidly connected together by means of a collar 13 at a joining segment. Preferably the arms 11 and 12 are tubular aluminum or steel and the collar 13 is of a compatible strong tubular material having an internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of the arms 11 and 12. The arms 1 l and 12 and collar 13 are secured together by pins, rivets or bolts 14, 14 etc. In addition, the collar 13 may be secured to the arms 11 and 12 by welds 15.

Optionally, the arms 11 and 12 may be unitary, formed from a single piece of tubular or bar stock bent to the desired configuration.

Each of the arms 11 and 12 are offset by a smooth, regular, relafively long radius. Nevertheless, each of the arms 11 and 12 lies in a flat plane as illustrated in FIG. 3, the respective planes intersecting at an angle at the joining segment or collar 13. While the radius has been shown to describe a 90 angle, other angles are possible and are within the scope of this invention.

The ends of each of the arms 11 and 12 opposite the collar 13 is provided with a seat, respectively 16 and 17 and a handle, respectively 18 and 19. The seats 16 and 17 and cooperative handles 18 and 19 are positionally adjustable along the arms 11 and 12 by any one of a number of means such as quick release pins extending through complementary transverse holes 20, 20 etc. in the arms 11 and 12.

Additionally, the end portion of the arms 11 and 12 supporting seats 16 and 17 may be offset from the plane of the said arms to be substantially horizontal to the ground 21 when the seats are equally distant therefrom as illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 3.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the collar 13 is freely supported by the ground 21. In operation, the arms 11 and 12 pivot about an axis extending through the collar 13 while the collar 13 rolls back and forth on the ground 21 in a reciprocatory motion.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, a pair of tortuous arms 22 and 23 are rigidly joined together by a collar 24. However, the arms 22 and 23 have a relatively long horizontal straight portion 25 and 26 respectively contiguous to the collar 24. The horizontal portions 25 and 26 terminate in a 90 offset respectively 27 and 28 having a relatively short radius. Additionally, the straight terminal portions 29 and 30 are offset upwardly from the horizontal and the axis of the collar 24 although the arms 22 and 23 lie in flat planes which intersect at the collar 24 as illustrated in FIG. 6.

Seats 31 and 32 and cooperative handles 33 and 34 are mounted on the terminal portions 29 and 30 respectively of the arms 22 and 23. As in the case of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the seats 31and 32 may be generally horizontal to the ground 21 when equally spaced therefrom as i1- lustrated in FIG. 6 by means of angular offsets 35. The seats 31 and 32, handles 33 and 34 are positionally adjustable along the arms 22 and 23 in the same fashion as the seats and handles illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

While the offsets 27 and 28 in the arms 22 and 23 are shown as 90, they may be of a greater or lesser degree as a matter of choice. In addition, the offsets 35 may be dispensed with in order to provide for the arms 22 and 23 to lie totally within a single plane for each of the arms.

The collar 24 is pivotally mounted at its center toan upright post 37 although it can be freely supportedon the ground 21 as illustrated in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Alternate forms of collar supports are illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 which will be described in greater detail hereafter.

In FIG. 7, a plurality of nesting seesaws 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42 are illustrated. Each seesaw has generally the same shape as the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 4, and 6.

The respective horizontal portions of the seesaws 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42, respectively 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 are secured to a plate or attached to concrete by spaced, U-bolts 48, 48 etc. Alternative supports illustrated elsewhere in FIGS. and 11 may also be employed. However, if the seesaws are to be pivotal about a generally upstanding axis, a pivotal plate must be employed to support the seesaws so that they pivot about such an axis in unison. Otherwise, such pivotal movement of each of the seesaws with respect to the other would have to be limited to prevent collision.

FIG. 8 illustrates still another embodiment of an off set seesaw adapted for side-rolling or oscillatory motion. The arms 49 and 50 are softly arcuate upwardly from the joining segment 51 for a long distance before an upward offset respectively 52 and 53 of much shorter radius is encountered. The seesaw is adapted to rock or roll on the softly arcuate upwardly portions 54 and 55.

FIGS. 9, 10 and 1 1 illustrate alternative forms of support for the joining segments connecting the tortuous arms of the offset seesaw together.

In FIG. 9, the joining segments 56 (with or without a collar) is supported in a generally semi-circular or upwardly cup-shaped support 57 secured to the ground 21 or to a plate 58.

In FIG. 10, the joining segment 56 is tied to a plate 58 by means of inverted, U-bolts 59.

In FIG. 11, the joining segment 56 is pivotally mounted in a sleeve 60 which is rigidly attached to an upstanding post 61. A swivel bearing 62 on the bottom of post 61 pivotally mounts the assembly to a stanchion 63 embedded in the ground 21 or concrete.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention.

I claim:

1. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. a pair of tortuous arms rigidly connected together at a joining segment, the arms being mutually and dependently pivotal about an axis passing through the joining segment,

b. seat means on each of the arms, the seat means lying in the same plane displaced from the said axis, the seat means lying on opposite sides of a plane perpendicular to the said axis intersecting the center of the joining segment,

c. said seesaw having a generally S-shaped configuration when viewed in plan, a generally U-shaped configuration when viewed along a horizontal line of sight perpendicular to the axis, and having a generally V-shaped configuration when viewed along the axis.

2. An ofiset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the axis of pivot of the arms is substantially immovable.

3. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. The structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the axis of pivot of the arms is rotatable about an intersecting, generally vertical axis.

4. An oflset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the axis of pivot of the arms is freely supported on a surface.

5. An oflset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. wherein the joining segment is an elongated straight, generally horizontal segment sufficiently long to support the axis of pivot of the arms against substantial movement in a vertical plane when the said segment is supported on a generally flat surface.

6. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the joining segment is freely supported on a substantially planar surface whereby the axis of pivot reciprocates in a plane parallel thereto in response to pivotal movement of the arms.

7. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the seat means are positioned in opposition to each other.

8. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. each of the arms lies in a plane, the respective planes of the arms intersecting at the joining segment.

9. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. an elongated upwardly arcuate portion on each of the arms adjacent to the joining segment, the said arcuate portions and joining segment lying in the same vertical plane.

10. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. an elongated straight portion on each of the arms adjacent to the joining segment generally coaxial with the axis of pivot.

1 1. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. each of the arms is arcuate generally from the joining segment to the seat means.

12. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 1 in which b. each of the arms lies in a respective plane from the joining segment to a position at least up to approximately the seat means.

13. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 1 in which b. each of the arms lies in a plane, the respective planes intersecting at the joining segment.

14. An offset seesaw comprising:

a. a plurality of seesaws each having a pair of tortuous arms rigidly connected together at a joining segment of the respective seesaw, the arms of each seesaw being mutually and dependently pivotal about a respective axis passing through the respective joining segment,

. seat means on each of the arms of each seesaw, the

respective seat means of each seesaw lying in a plane displaced from said respective axis, the seat means lying on opposite sides of a plane perpendicular to the said respective axis intersecting the center of the respective joining segment,

. the respective pivot axes being generally parallel and spaced apart,

. each said seesaw having a generally S-shaped con- 15. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 14 in which b. the respective pivot axes are immovable with respect to each other. 

1. An offset seesaw comprising: a. a pair of tortuous arms rigidly connected together at a joining segment, the arms being mutually and dependently pivotal about an axis passing through the joining segment, b. seat means on each of the arms, the seat means lying in the same plane displaced from the said axis, the seat means lying on opposite sides of a plane perpendicular to the said axis intersecting the center of the joining segment, c. said seesaw having a generally S-shaped configuration when viewed in plan, a generally U-shaped configuration when viewed along a horizontal line of sight perpendicular to the axis, and having a generally V-shaped configuration when viewed along the axis.
 2. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the axis of pivot of the arms is substantially immovable.
 3. An offset seesaw comprising: a. The structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the axis of pivot of the arms is rotatable about an intersecting, generally vertical axis.
 4. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the axis of pivot of the arms is freely supported on a surface.
 5. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. wherein the joining segment is an elongated straight, generally horizontal segment sufficiently long to support the axis of pivot of the arms against substantial movement in a vertical plane when the said segmeNt is supported on a generally flat surface.
 6. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the joining segment is freely supported on a substantially planar surface whereby the axis of pivot reciprocates in a plane parallel thereto in response to pivotal movement of the arms.
 7. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. the seat means are positioned in opposition to each other.
 8. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. each of the arms lies in a plane, the respective planes of the arms intersecting at the joining segment.
 9. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. an elongated upwardly arcuate portion on each of the arms adjacent to the joining segment, the said arcuate portions and joining segment lying in the same vertical plane.
 10. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. an elongated straight portion on each of the arms adjacent to the joining segment generally coaxial with the axis of pivot.
 11. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which b. each of the arms is arcuate generally from the joining segment to the seat means.
 12. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 11 in which b. each of the arms lies in a respective plane from the joining segment to a position at least up to approximately the seat means.
 13. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 11 in which b. each of the arms lies in a plane, the respective planes intersecting at the joining segment.
 14. An offset seesaw comprising: a. a plurality of seesaws each having a pair of tortuous arms rigidly connected together at a joining segment of the respective seesaw, the arms of each seesaw being mutually and dependently pivotal about a respective axis passing through the respective joining segment, b. seat means on each of the arms of each seesaw, the respective seat means of each seesaw lying in a plane displaced from said respective axis, the seat means lying on opposite sides of a plane perpendicular to the said respective axis intersecting the center of the respective joining segment, c. the respective pivot axes being generally parallel and spaced apart, d. each said seesaw having a generally S-shaped configuration when viewed in plan, a generally U-shaped configuration when viewed along a horizontal line of sight perpendicular to the axis, and having a generally V-shaped configuration when viewed along the axis.
 15. An offset seesaw comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 14 in which b. the respective pivot axes are immovable with respect to each other. 